From the comparative studies carried out in this work we conclude that the physical principle for coordinating
collective ciliary beating in Volvox or Paramecium differs from that responsible for defining
precise patterns of beating in unicellular microswimmers bearing only few flagella.
In the former case hydrodynamic coupling between flagella is sufficient [1]},
but in the latter (especially for obligate autotrophs) there is far greater incentive for efficient swimming
to be robust in spite of hydrodynamic perturbations.
Even in arrays of mammalian cilia, ciliary roots and basal feet structures continue to provide additional resistance to
fluid stresses [2]}, [3]}.
